Assignment submitted to: Narayan Gopal Ghimire

Assignment submitted by: Nirajan Pandey

Roll.No. 27
Msc Geology First Semester, 2077
Subject: Sequence Stratigraphy ``Sequence Model``

Q. Prepare a flow chart of sequence model.

Sequence is defined as a stratigraphic unit composed of a relatively conformable succession of
genetically related strata bounded at its top and base by unconformities. The concept of ‘sequence’
may be applied to any portion of a sedimentary basin fill, from underfilled to filled and overfilled.
In the early days of sequence stratigraphy, sequences were always described as including the entire
array of depositional systems, from fluvial to deep-marine and at the same time, the underlying
assumption was that depositional processes leading to the formation of sequences were primarily
controlled by sea-level changes, or by a combination of sea-level changes and tectonism.
As part of unconformity-bounded sequences, fluvial deposits were thus inferred to have
accumulated under the influence of marine base-level changes, and hence in direct relationship
with particular stages of shoreline shift. Brief discussion of stratigraphic model is not only for
philosophy but to provide the common platform between these approaches. The concept of
sequence is independent of scale, either spatial or temporal. The various opinions regarding the
timing of formation of correlative conformities relative to the main events of a reference base-
level cycle (i.e., onset of base-level fall, end of base-level fall, end of regression and end of
transgression) resulted in the publication of several sequence stratigraphic models which differ
primarily in the position of sequence boundaries, and particularly in the position of correlative
conformities.
There are five sequence stratigraphic models currently in use and are categorized in two group,
a. Correlative conformity relative to the base level curve: Timing of sequence boundaries
independent of the sedimentation rates: depositional sequence II, III, IV.
b. Correlative conformity relative to transgressive regressive curve: Timing of sequence
boundary dependent on sedimentation rates: genetic and transgressive-sequence sequences.

The early work on seismic and sequence stratigraphy published in AAPG Memoir 26 (Payton,
1977) and SEPM Special Publication 42 (Wilgus et al., 1988) resulted in the definition of the
depositional sequence, as the primary unit of a sequence stratigraphic model.
The flow chart of sequence model is given below,
Sequence model are four types i.e. stratigraphic sequence, fluvial system, depositional system and
carbonate system. All are described as below,
Stratigraphic sequence: This includes depositional sequence, genetic sequence, T-R sequence and
parasequence.
Depositional sequence means the depositional sequence uses the subaerial unconformity and its
marine correlative conformity as a composite sequence boundary. The timing of sub aerial
unconformities is equated with the stage of base level fall at the shoreline. The correlative
conformity is either picked as the seafloor at the onset of forced regression. The depositional
sequence was subdivided into lowstand, transgressive, and highstand systems tracts on the basis
of internal surfaces that correspond to changes in the direction of shoreline shift from regression
to transgression and vice versa (Posamentier and Vail, 1988). Variations on the original
depositional sequence theme resulted in the publication of several slightly modified versions of
the depositional sequence model.

Figure 1 Family tree of sequence stratigraphy (modified from Donovan, 2001). The various sequence stratigraphic models
mainly differ in the style of conceptual packaging of strata into sequences, i.e., with respect to where the sequence boundaries
are picked in the rock record.
 Figure 2 Types of sequence stratigraphic model

Genetic stratigraphic model is the model where maximum flooding surface is used as sequence
boundaries, both in marine and continental portion of sedimentary basin. The genetic stratigraphic
sequence is subdivided into highstand (late rise), lowstand (fall and early rise), and transgressive
systems tracts, using the same systems tract terminology as the depositional sequence II. Genetic
stratigraphic sequence includes the subaerial unconformity within the sequence and this presence
allows the possibility that strata unrelated genetically may be put together into the same `genetic`
package. In another aspect, timing of maximum flooding surface depends interplay of base level
changes and sedimentation and hence may be diachronous and the rate of diachroneity of MFS
defined on stratal stacking pattern (also considered as very low angle dip), but it may become
significant along the strike depending on the fluctuation in terrigenous sediment influx to the
various sediment entry points into the margin basin. The genetic stratigraphic sequence model is
linked to the manifestation of shoreline regressions and transgressions, and so it requires evidence
of the type of syndepositional shoreline shifts for the proper identification of ‘transgressive’
deposits, maximum flooding surfaces. Genetic model is divided into three part low stand (fall and
early rise) system tract, transgressive system tract and high stand (late rise) system tract.
Transgressive-regressive sequence is bounded by composite surfaces that include subaerial
unconformities on the basin margin and the marine portion of maximum regressive surface farther
seaward. The proponents of the T–R sequence model recognized the value of subaerial
unconformities as sequence boundaries, following the approach that was pioneered by the
depositional sequence school, but eliminated the ‘correlative conformities’ (onset or end of base-
level fall surfaces) as part of the sequence boundary due to the recognition problems they may
pose in shallow-marine successions, particularly when seismic data are not available for analysis.
The `correlative conformity` of the T-R sequence model is represented by the marine portion of
MRS. This stratigraphic surface has the advantage of being recognizable in shallow-water setting
on virtually any type of outcrop or subsurface data, but it may pose recognition problem in deep
water setting where it is likely to develop within a conformable succession of low density turbidite
facies. It is similar to the type I and II depositional sequences described above in that the
unconformable portion of the sequence boundary consists of a subaerial unconformity. It is divided
into two parts;
1. Transgressive system tract (TST) bounded by the sequence boundary below and the MFS
above.
2. Regressive system tracts (RST) bounded by MFS below and the sequence boundary above.

Abbreviations,
LST = Lowstand system
tract
HST = Highstand system
tract
TST = Transgressive
system tract
FSST = Falling stage
system tract
RST = Regressive system
tract
T-R = Transgressive-
Regressive

Figure 3 Figure: Timing of system tracts and sequence boundaries for the sequence models currently in use (modified from
Catuneanu, 2002).
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